Mattress encasement with removable top portion

ABSTRACT

A mattress encasement can have a generally rectangular shape and may include cover for surrounding all six sides of a mattress. The cover can include a top side and a bottom side, a left side, a right side, a head portion and a foot portion. The cover can also include a zipper extending along a length at least one of the left side, the right side, the head portion, and the foot portion. The zipper can have a length sufficient to receive the mattress. The mattress encasement can also include a removable top layer having a first layer and a second layer. The second layer of the top layer can waterproof. The mattress encasement can also include a fastening means for removably coupling the top layer to the cover. The top layer can extend substantially across the top side of the cover.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/247,474 filed Oct. 28, 2015, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mattress encasements, more specifically mattress encasements which may include a cover and a removable top portion that may be removable from the cover.

BACKGROUND

A mattress encasement can protect a mattress from exposure to fluids, allergens, and insects, including for example and without limitation bodily fluids, pollen, dust, dust mites, and bed bugs. A mattress encasement can cover all sides of a mattress, including the sides and bottom area of a mattress.

SUMMARY

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Aspects of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim.

Certain aspects of the present invention relate to a mattress encasement that includes a cover that surrounds a mattress on all sides via a top portion, bottom portion, and four side portions. The mattress encasement can also include an additional removable top portion that can be removably coupled to the cover. The cover of the mattress encasement can completely surround the mattress and protect the mattress from exposure to fluids, allergens, and insects, for example but not limited to bodily fluids, pollen, dust, dust-mites and bed-bugs. The removable top portion can be removably coupled to the top portion of the cover of the mattress encasement such that it may be removed for washing or replacement, for example should the removable top portion become soiled, wetted, or otherwise require cleaning or replacement. The cover of the mattress encasement continues to protect and enclose the mattress when the removable top portion is de-coupled from the cover and removed for washing or replacement.

The cover of the mattress encasement can be secured around the mattress via a fastener, for example one or more zippers, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, or other suitable fastening means. The cover can include an overlap or fabric flap that can be secured over a portion of the end path of the zipper on the mattress encasement. The fabric flap can prevent fluids, allergens, and insects, from entering the cover via any opening remaining at the end path of the zipper. In some aspects, the fabric flap can include a piece of fabric that is secured over the end path of a zipper or other fastening element. The fabric flap can be secured in place via a fastening element, for example a hook and loop fastener. The fabric flap can comprise any suitable material, including without limitation, cotton fabric, polyester fabric, or other suitable fabrics. In some aspects, the fabric flap can comprise a non-fabric material.

In some aspects, the mattress encasement can include a removable top portion (also referred to as a removable top layer). The removable top portion may be coupled to the cover of the mattress encasement. In some aspects, the removable top portion can be coupled to a top portion of the cover via one or more zippers or other suitable fastening means. In some aspects, the removable top portion can be coupled to the top portion of the cover by zippers positioned on a left side and a right side of the top portion of the cover. The top edge and bottom edge of the removable top portion may not be coupled to the cover. The removable top portion may be removed from the cover of the mattress encasement for washing or replacement, while the cover remains in place around the mattress. A top side of the cover can be revealed when the removable top portion is removed. In some aspects, the removable top portion comprises one or more layers of fabric or material. In some aspects, the removable top portion can include a waterproof or water resistant layer of material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative aspects of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawing figures:

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary mattress encasement.

FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of a top portion of the exemplary mattress encasement of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A illustrates a portion of a cover of an exemplary mattress encasement.

FIG. 2B illustrates a portion of a cover of an exemplary mattress encasement with a fabric flap of the mattress encasement lifted.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary mattress encasement with a top portion of the mattress encasement partially uncoupled from a cover of the mattress encasement.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a top region of an exemplary mattress encasement with a top portion of the mattress encasement partially uncoupled from a cover of the mattress encasement.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a top portion of an exemplary mattress encasement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

As shown in FIG. 1A, one aspect of the present invention is a mattress encasement 10 that includes a cover 11 having a generally rectangular shape that corresponds to the shape and dimensions of the mattress it is designed to be installed on. For example, the mattress encasement 10, including the cover 11, can be sized to cover a twin, full, queen, king, California king, or other sized mattress. The cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 may include a top portion 12 (shown in FIGS. 3-4), a bottom portion (not shown), a left side 14, a right side 15 (shown in FIG. 4), a head portion (not shown), and a foot portion 16. The cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 can completely cover all sides of the mattress it is installed on. Thus, the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 completely surrounds and encloses the mattress upon which it is installed, thereby protecting the mattress from allergens, spills, and other soiling, for example but not limited to dust, liquids, and bed-wetting accidents.

The mattress encasement 10 can include a removable top portion 18 (also referred to as a removable top layer). The removable top portion 18 can include one or more layers of material. In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 can include a quilted layer, as shown in FIG. 1B. In some aspects the removable top portion 18 can also include a water resistant or waterproof layer in addition to or in the place of the quilted layer. The removable top portion 18 can be removably coupled to the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10. The removable top portion 18 may be removed from the cover 11 when the removable top portion 18 becomes soiled and requires washing, for example but not limited soiling from a liquid spill or a bed-wetting accident. The removable top portion 18 may also be removed for regular washing and may be re-coupled to the cover 11 after laundering. In some aspects, a new removable top portion 18 may be coupled to the cover 11 when the removable top portion 18 is removed, the new removable top portion 18 may either permanently replace the use of the removable top portion 18 or may be used in place of the removable top portion 18 while the removable top portion 18 is being laundered. The cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 continues to enclose, surround, and protect the mattress and protect the mattress from allergens and soiling when the removable top portion 18 is removed. Thus, the mattress is continually protected even after soiling occurs as the soiling may be limited to the removable top portion 18, which can be removed and laundered separately from the cover 11. The removable top portion 18 may include a waterproof layer that prevents liquids or other soiling material from extending beyond the waterproof layer of the removable top portion 18, and thereby may prevent soiling from extending to the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10.

In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 can be coupled to the top portion 12 via zippers or other suitable fastening means. In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 can be coupled to the left side and/or the right side 15 of the mattress encasement via one or more fastening means. In still yet other aspects, the removable top portion 18 can be coupled to the head portion and/or the foot portion 16 of the mattress encasement 10 via one or more fastening means. In some aspects fastening means can include, but are not limited to, buttons, snaps, ties, hook and loop fasteners, magnets, and zippers.

The cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 can block liquids, bed bugs, dust mites, pollen, and/or other allergens from contacting the mattress or from passing from the mattress through the mattress encasement 10. The cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 may be manufactured out of one or more of woven cotton, polyester fabrics, and other materials suitable for providing a desired protection. In some aspects, one or more sides of the cover 11 and the removable top portion 18 may be coated with or otherwise include a water resistant or waterproof material, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Vinyl. In some aspects all or a portion of the top portion 12 may be quilted and/or may have waterproof characteristics. For example, in some aspects the top portion 12 may include a waterproof layer such that liquid exposed onto the top surface of the top portion 12 does not pass through the top portion 12 and contact the mattress protected by the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10 can be installed onto a mattress via a fastening means, for example but not limited to a zipper 20. The zipper 20 may extend along one or more sides of the cover 11 and allow for the mattress to be positioned within the cover 11. In some aspects, the zipper 20 may extend along the length of the foot portion 16 and along a portion of the left side 14 and right side 15 (shown in FIG. 4) of the cover 11, as shown in FIG. 1A.

As shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, in some aspects, a slider 24 of the zipper 20 may be covered by a fabric flap or overlap 22. The fabric flap 22 may include a piece of fabric that covers the slider 24 of the zipper 20. The fabric flap 22 may cover the slider 24 of the zipper 20 and be attached to the left side 14 of the cover 11 via a fastening means. In some aspects, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the fastening means may be one more strips 26 a, 26 b of a hook and loop fastener. In some aspects, a small opening can exist between the slider 24 of the zipper and a top stop 29 of the zipper 20. The fabric flap 22 can be secured against the left side 14 of the cover 11 and can prevent allergens, dusts, fluids and other particles from contaminating the mattress by breaching the cover 11 at a small opening between the top stop 29 of the zipper 20 and the slider 24.

FIG. 3 depicts a left side perspective view of the mattress encasement 10 with the removable top portion 18 partially uncoupled from the top portion 12 of the cover 11. FIG. 4 depicts a right side perspective view of the mattress encasement 10 with the removable top portion 18 partially uncoupled from the top portion 12 of the cover 11. As shown in FIGS. 3-4 the removable top portion 18 can be coupled to the cover 11 by a pair of zippers 28 a, 28 b extending along at least a portion of a left edge 30 and a right edge 32, respectively, of the top portion 12 of the cover 11. A top edge 34 and a bottom edge 36 of the removable top portion 18 may not be coupled to the cover 11, as shown in FIGS. 3-4. In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 may be coupled one or more of the left side 14, right side 15, top portion 12, and foot portion 16 of the cover 11 via any suitable fastening means, for example but not limited to, zippers, buttons, ties, snaps, and hook and loop fasteners. In still yet other aspects, the removable top portion 18 may be coupled to the top portion 12 of the cover 11 at one or more of the top edge 34 and the bottom edge 36 of the top portion 12. In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 can be completely uncoupled from the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10. For example, the removable top portion 18 may be completely uncoupled so that it may be removed for washing or replacement. The top portion 12 of the cover 11 can be revealed when the removable top portion 18 is removed. The removal of the removable top portion 18 may not compromise the hygienic integrity of the mattress because the mattress remains enclosed by the top portion 12, bottom portion, left side 14, right side 15, head portion, and foot portion 16 of the cover 11 of the mattress encasement 10.

In some aspects, the removable top portion 18 may extend beyond the top portion 12 of the cover 11 and in other aspects the removable top portion 18 may be substantially flush with the outer edges of the top portion 12. In still yet other aspects, the removable top portion 18 may be slightly smaller in at least one of a widthwise and lengthwise direction of the top portion 12.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of a removable top portion 40 according to an aspect of the invention. Removable top portion 18 may have some or all of the same features as the removable top portion 40. The removable top portion 40 can include one or more layers. In one aspect, as shown in FIG. 5, the removable top portion 40 can include a first layer 42 and a second layer 44. In some aspects, the first layer 42 may include a liquid absorbing fabric, for example but not limited to, cotton batting and/or polyester fill. The first layer 42 may be quilted.

In some aspects, the second layer 44 may be waterproof or water resistant. The second layer 44 may include one or more of cotton fabric, polyester fabric, a polyurethane coating, non-woven fabrics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and vinyl materials. In some aspects, the second layer 44 may be a coating that is applied to the underside of the first layer 42. In some aspects, the second layer 44 may be a separate layer of material that is not positioned on the underside of the first layer 42. For example, the second layer 44 may be a separate layer of waterproof material that is only attached to the first layer 42 at the outer edges of the removable top portion 40. In some aspects the second layer 44 is entirely waterproof, in other aspects the second layer 44 may only be water resistant or hydrophobic.

The second layer 44 can be positioned such that it is disposed between the first layer 42 and the top surface of the cover of the mattress encasement when the removable top portion 40 is coupled to the mattress encasement. The second layer 44 can protect the top portion of the cover of the mattress encasement from exposure to liquids, pollen, other allergens, and other materials that could dirty the cover of the mattress encasement. In some aspects, the removable top portion 40 may only include a single layer. In still yet other aspects, the removable top portion 40 may comprise one, two, three or more layers. Layers as used herein can include a coating, a treatment, and/or a separate and distinct layer of material. Thus, the second layer 44 can prevent liquids, pollen, other allergens, or other soiling materials from extending to the cover of the mattress encasement, it may thereby prevent the cover of the mattress encasement from requiring cleaning and replacement. Instead, in some aspects, allergens or soiling materials (including for example liquids), may only contaminate the removable top portion 40, while retaining the clean hygiene of the cover of the mattress encasement. The removable top layer 40 which may be contaminated by allergens, liquids, and other soiling materials, for example but not limited to bed-wetting incidents, may be removed from the cover of the mattress encasement for laundering or replacement, while the cover of the mattress encasement continues to protect the mattress from exposure to allergens, liquids, insects (e.g., bedbugs), and other soiling materials. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A mattress encasement having a generally rectangular shape, the mattress encasement comprising: (a) a cover for surrounding all six sides of a mattress the cover comprising: a top side and a bottom side; a left side and a right side; a head portion and a foot portion; a zipper extending along a length at least one of the left side, the right side, the head portion, and the foot portion; (b) a top layer that includes a quilted fabric layer and a waterproof layer; and (c) a fastening means for removably coupling the top layer to the cover, wherein the top layer extending substantially across the top side of the cover, wherein the top side, the bottom side, the left side, the right side, the head portion and the foot portion of the cover each comprise an anti-allergen material configured to block the transmission of allergens, and wherein the quilted fabric layer includes at least one of a polyester fill and a cotton batting.
 2. The mattress encasement of claim 1, wherein the anti-allergen material includes a material selected from the group comprising woven cotton, polyester fabric having a polyurethane coating, non-woven fabrics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and vinyl.
 3. The mattress encasement of claim 1, wherein the waterproof layer comprises a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating positioned on an underside of the quilted fabric layer.
 4. The mattress encasement of claim 1, wherein the top layer includes a binding along an outer edge of the top layer.
 5. A mattress encasement having a generally rectangular shape, the mattress encasement comprising: (a) a cover for surrounding all six sides of a mattress, the cover comprising: a top side and a bottom side; a left side and a right side; a head portion and a foot portion; a closure zipper extending along a length at least one of the left side, the right side, the head portion, and the foot portion; (b) a top layer; and (c) a fastening means for removably coupling the top layer to the cover.
 6. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the top side of the cover is waterproof.
 7. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the top layer is waterproof.
 8. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the top layer includes a quilted material and a waterproof material.
 9. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the fastening means comprises one or more zippers.
 10. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the closure zipper extends along the foot portion of the cover, the left side of the cover, and the right side of the cover and has an end portion at either the left side or the right side of the cover.
 11. The mattress encasement of claim 10, further comprising a fabric flap that covers the end portion of the closure zipper.
 12. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the top layer extend has substantially the same width and substantially the same length as the top side of the cover.
 13. The mattress encasement of claim 5, wherein the fastening means comprises a first zipper positioned at a left side of the top side of the mattress and a second zipper positioned at a right side of the top side of the mattress.
 14. A mattress encasement having a generally rectangular shape, the mattress encasement comprising: (a) a cover for surrounding all six sides of a mattress the cover comprising: a top side and a bottom side; a left side and a right side; a head portion and a foot portion; a zipper extending along a length at least one of the left side, the right side, the head portion, and the foot portion; (b) a top layer having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer is waterproof; and (c) a fastening means for removably coupling the top layer to the cover, wherein the top layer extends substantially across the top side of the cover.
 15. The mattress encasement of claim 14, wherein the first layer includes a liquid absorbing fabric.
 16. The mattress encasement of claim 15, wherein the liquid absorbing fabric is at least one of a cotton batting and a polyester fill.
 17. The mattress encasement of claim 15, wherein the liquid absorbing fabric includes at least one of a antimicrobial treatment and antibacterial treatment.
 18. The mattress encasement of claim 14, wherein the second layer includes at least one of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and vinyl.
 19. The mattress encasement of claim 14, wherein the second layer is a waterproof coating positioned on an underside of the first layer.
 20. The mattress encasement of claim 14, wherein the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the top side of the cover. 